1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming the image using electrophotographic method, and a process cartridge used for the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been well known an image forming apparatuses for forming the image using electrophotographic method.
For example, in JP-A-9-141972, an image forming apparatus having four image carriers (photosensitive members) arranged in the vertical direction is disclosed (see pages 4 through 9 and FIGS. 1 and 2). In the image forming apparatus disclosed in JP-A-9-141972, a sheet conveying belt is provided in contact with the four image carriers, and the sheet is conveyed by the sheet conveying belt to make contact with each image carrier successively, so that the image for each print color is transferred onto the sheet. Also, in this image forming apparatus, the sheet conveying belt is supported inside a front lid, and the entire conveyance path on which the sheet is conveyed is exposed to the user by opening the front lid, whereby a removal process for removing a sheet jam is simply performed.
The above document, JP-A-141972, has a corresponding U.S. patent application, in which the patent number thereof is U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,324.